JOS, Nigeria - Up to 28 persons were confirmed dead on Tuesday by the police in central north Nigeria's Plateau State following an attack by unknown gunmen in two communities in the state.

State Commissioner of Police Chris Olakpe told reporters in Jos, the state capital, that a policeman was affected in the incident that took place in Ganawuri District of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau.

Olakpe identified the police officer who lost his life in the attack as Corporal Maniru Jibril.

No arrest was made from the incident, but investigations were on to tracking the perpetrators, the police boss said.

The attack came barely one week after about 10 people lost their lives in a similar attack in Mavo village in Wase Local Government Area of the state.

Plateau State is situated in Nigeria's middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south meet.

The state capital Jos was plunged in a pool of blood on March 7, 2010, when members of local Muslim and Christian communities fought each other in revenge for previous killings.

The state has recently witnessed some bomb blasts and constant rifts between Berom and Fulani herdsmen, with many, especially women and children, murdered in cold blood in the state.